My last project for The Crafter's Workshop

Today I'm sharing my last project for The Crafter's Workshop. It has been an awesome year being part of their first ever design team ...and my stencil collection has grown exponentially in the last 12 months! [yes...in the 3 digit region!]

I love how versatile stencils are...you can use them with watercolours. pens and inks as I did in these travel journal pages.

Happy weekend my friends! :)

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Pastel colours and bling!

So pastel colours are growing on me. I love the subtle hint of soft colours in a whisper [you know, versus the loudness of bold colours ...*winks*]

I started with light modeling paste and The Crafter's Workshop stencil on a 6x6 canvas panel. The effect I wanted was random and abstract so I did not apply the paste on the whole canvas. I also misted water into the Shimmerz Inklingz containers to activate them.

Since the colours were so pretty...I had to include them all of course! :)

The colours turned out so shimmery and sweet....so I just added a bling tulle bloom from Maya Road and some bling on the bloom centers in the background to complete my mixed media canvas.

Happy weekend my friends! :)

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Doodling in my art journal....

After a couple of failed attempts at keeping an art journal, I am totally embracing the process now. Err... I have like 5 journals. *winks*

Some nights I only create backgrounds with colorants...other nights I make more progress and actually complete pages. Like this one.:)

After applying gesso on my pages, I played with some Derwent Inktense blocks, blending the colours with a bit of water. Then I applied Liquitex Super Heavy Gesso with The Crafter's Workshop stencil. 

After that, I doodled with Daler Rowney gesso and added some splatters with Tattered Angels Gimmer Glam. I varied the intensity of the gesso with water as the effect I wanted to achieve was a semi-opaque black. 

Then I added some Tim Holtz rub-ons.

I went over my doodles with a white pen to really bring out the funky background design.

What do you think?

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Let's have fun with a chalkboard....a short tutorial

I'm currently obsessed with this blue chalkboard paint from Martha Stewart. If you follow my Facebook Fan Page, you would have seen the chair and box I painted... [yes, I share some of my home decor projects on my Facebook Fan Page...]. I also made this cute little chalkboard for my desk. :)

I started out with a piece of wood from the art store.  Then I applied a coat of gesso.

When that dried, I applied two coats of Martha Stewart chalkboard paint, allowing one hour between coats according to the instructions on the bottle.

Then I prepped the surface by running a chalk over it.

Next I used The Crafter's Workshop stencil with some Faber Castell Pitt Pastels. You can use chalk here but I find the pencils much easier to use. Once you are happy with your design, you can spray a fixative over the surface. 

Super fun and easy project! 

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Using up little bits of lace on a mixed media canvas...

If you are like me and can't bear to throw away little bits of pretty lace, then try what I did....adhere them all to a canvas..

The base of the canvas was created with bits and pieces of lace from previous projects, Faber Castell gelato, Golden fiber paste applied through The Crafter's Workshop stencil and gesso.  I didn't have enough lace so I added some patterned paper to the mix...*winks*

What do you think?

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A fishy tale

As a kid, I was terrified when I had to walk by the tanks of fishes at the store. Because they also displayed the creepy crawlies and the tiny frogs that were fish food next to the fish tanks. *eeeeek*

So the fishes I rear now don't eat live food that crawl or jump. Yeah, I'm sure they are like thinking, "How about some worms?" No way. Just dried food. And sometimes frozen worms. *LOL*

For more details on this canvas, please read this post, A mixed media canvas featuring The Crafter's Workshop Koi Pond stencil.

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Can I stick to the supplies I pulled out?

I'm always amazed at how much stuff there is to clean up after making a simple project. So I decided to challenge myself to pick out the stuff I wanted to use on a card and just stick to those supplies.

Yep...a lot of supplies just for one card, eh?

But while making the card, I wished I had MORE supplies of course! *LOL*

But the end result isn't too shabby eh? *winks* [some ego-boosting comments would come in handy here...hehe]

This card was created for The Crafter's Workshop.

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Exploring the "what ifs"

It is easy to slip into one's comfort zone and just work with elements that one is accustomed to. I, however,  love to make things "difficult" for myself by continually pushing boundaries and exploring the "what ifs". *winks*

Like working on a different colour palette. Or picking out the "core" elements and then exploring ways to tie a design together. "Forcing" yourself to do just one thing different each time you work on a project is a great way to grow artistically. :)

Hope you find time this busy season to nourish your artistic soul. Happy weekend my friends! :)

P/s: This mixed media canvas was created for The Crafter's Workshop.

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This black box filled to the brim with embellishments is for....[insert your name]

I love the classic black boxes I get with corporate gifts because I get to reuse the boxes and redecorate them the way I like. :) [Okay, sometimes the gifts inside are quite nice too...*winks*]

I applied Liquitex black lava medium with The Crafter's Workshop stencil. This medium dries glossy so it adds a subtle sheen to the finished product.

It got a little too dark for me so I added chipboard butterfly in silver with a pop of green from the satin bloom.

I've filled this box to the brim with my fave embellishments....[stuff I've been using on my mixed media projects this year] and would love to give this away to one lucky person. Just leave a comment on this post by Tuesday December 16th.

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Follow the signs...*winks*

I love that my family members are always game to take "silly" photos...for a good laugh!

For instance, on the last family vacation to Taiwan, we were all about "following the signs"....

Check out the expression on my sister's face! *LOL*

A layout for The Crafter's Workshop.

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